Devils News

Done Deal-ya: Kovalchuk returns

Big decisions take time, but Ilya Kovalchuk has made up his mind: he’s coming back to the Devils.

Since the free agent signing period began on July 1, almost every day brought new speculation on where the two-time 50-goal scorer might be headed. One of the most coveted unrestricteds in history, Kovalchuk finally ended the suspense Monday with the Devils' announcement that he’s staying in the Garden State. A 1 p.m. press conference will be held Tuesday at Prudential Center.

A three-time All-Star, Kovalchuk, 27, is the crown jewel on a roster primed to be an offensive juggernaut in 2010-11. As dynamic a scorer as there is in the National Hockey League, he bolsters a lineup that features a pair of 40-goal scorers in Patrik Elias and Zach Parise.

On the power play, Kovalchuk packs a fearsome shot from the point that will be even more potent with the 6-5 frame of Jason Arnott parked in front of opposing goaltenders. Arnott, the auteur of the Devils’ Stanley Cup-clinching goal in 2000, was re-acquired from Nashville on June 19.

Kovalchuk's signing is the most recent move for the Devils, the clear winners of this year's offseason. The two-time defending Atlantic Division champions signed defensemen Henrik Tallinder and Anton Volchenkov and goaltender Johan Hedberg on July 1. They hired new coach John MacLean on June 17.